Temporal patterns of caregiving for preterm infants indicate individualized developmental care.

Objective: Individualized attention for premature infants was assessed from temporal patterns of caregiving at three very different regional NICUs.

Study Design: Continuous time-lapse video recording of 95 premature infants under 1500 g was made over three 24-hour periods when they were 33 weeks' and 35 weeks' conceptional age.

Statistical Analysis: Analysis of variance was used to compare caregiving measures within and across hospitals.

Results: The tapes were scored in 5-minute epochs for periods when the infants were in and out of the crib, and when intervention/caregiving was occurring. Despite other differences, the three hospitals did not differ with respect to demographic and risk characteristics of the infant subjects. In all three hospitals, there was more out-of-crib and more caregiving during the daytime than at night; caregiving time showed individual differences over day and night periods; developmental changes in caregiving were observed over the 2 weeks; and more caregiving time was devoted to infants who were at greater risk.

Conclusion: Temporal patterns of caregiving reliably indicate individual differences, with sensitive and responsive caregiving common to typical NICU nursing environments.